Embodiments of the invention relate generally to mechanisms for lifting engine-powered, wheeled machines to or from raised platforms and, more particularly, to a loading apparatus coupleable to an engine-powered, wheeled machine to facilitate loading and unloading of the machine from a raised platform without causing damage to structural components of the machine.
Engine-powered, wheeled machines are commonly lifted to platforms for storage or transport manually by an operator. However, the machines can be heavy and typically do not include convenient gripping locations. As a result, the operator is often forced to assume an awkward position when lifting the machine. The combination of the awkward lifting position and weight of the machines puts a strain on the operator that may lead to overexertion and injury.
Snow blowers and lawn mowers are two examples of engine-powered, wheeled machines that are frequently manually lifted onto and off of raised locations by an operator. The machines are often lifted after each use to shelves for storage or onto trucks for transport. Employees of lawn care and snow removal businesses, for example, may lift the machine onto and off of a pickup truck several times in one shift for transport to each customer's home or business. In addition, some machines are likely to be used during inclement weather, like snow blowers in a snow storms, leading to unsafe lifting conditions. As a result, the repeated lifting of engine-powered, wheeled machines has the potential to cause fatigue and injury.
In addition to the injuries to the operator resulting from repeated loading and unloading of engine-powered, wheeled machines, the machine itself is often damaged during a loading or unloading event. For example, rather than lifting the machine off the back of a pickup truck and placing the machine on the ground, the operator may attempt to slide the machine off of the back bed of the pickup truck or simply drop the machine down onto the ground as a result of operator fatigue or the weight of the machine. Such actions may damage the machine and may possibly cause injury to the operator. First, engine-powered machines such as snow blowers often include engine components that extend outward from the back end of the machine. If any of these engine components get caught on the pickup truck gate or bed during the loading event, the operator could be stuck in an awkward position supporting a heavy machine. In either situation, the operator person could be injured and the components damaged. Further, the force of dropping the heavy machine onto the ground may cause components of the machine to break.
Therefore, it would be desirable to design an apparatus and method to aid in lifting engine-powered, wheeled machines to and from a raised platform. Further, it would be desirable to have an apparatus to prevent machine components from interfering with sliding the machine on the edge of a raised surface. It would be further advantageous if such a lifting apparatus could provide a convenient gripping means for lifting the machine.